It is critical that a brick or block for forming a wall be simply assembled into that wall. Block and brick may be used interchangeably as terms herein. It is always desired to design a block that a layman can use. A layman must be able to use the block in a simple fashion and achieve the same strength and appearance of a wall as a professional can achieve.
If the block has a complicated structure and is hard to manufacture, it follows that the layman cannot use it to build the wall, in a simple fashion. It further is clear, that the difficulty of manufacturing increases the cost of the block for the consumer. Thus, it is desired to simplify this structure while at the same maintaining the necessary strength of the wall made from the block.
If the blocks are used to form an edge or a border for a yard or a sidewalk, the edge thus formed from the blocks must have sufficient strength to keep natural shifts therein from pushing the blocks along the edge thereof out of the way. In this manner, the edge or border can keep the desired appearance and strength factors. Such shifts can push aside almost any type of edge structure. The brick or block must be shapeable into a strong edge form.
When a sea wall or a retaining wall is desired, the block must have a dual function. The wall requires a block with both an end, and a top to bottom joining mechanisms. If these joining mechanisms are simply joined, the layman can use it to build the wall. This block structure must be simplified, while at the same maintaining the necessary strength of the wall.